gnáth

See also: gnàth and gnáth-

Irish

Etymology 1

From Old Irish gnáth (“customary, usual”), from Proto-Celtic *gnātos (“known, usual”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know”).

Alternative forms

• gnách

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ɡn̪ˠɑː/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ɡɾˠɑː/, /ɡnˠɑː/
  • Homophones: grá, gráigh (one pronunciation)
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ɡɾˠæː/

Noun

gnáth m (genitive singular gnáith, nominative plural gnátha or gnáith)

1. custom, usage
2. customary thing
3. frequentation
4. haunt, resort
5. (literary, in the plural) intimates, associates

Declension

Declension of gnáth

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative gnáth gnátha Vocative a ghnáith a ghnátha Genitive gnáith gnáth Dative gnáth gnátha

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an gnáth na gnátha Genitive an ghnáith na ngnáth Dative leis an ngnáth don ghnáth leis na gnátha

Alternative declension

Declension of gnáth

First declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative gnáth gnáith Vocative a ghnáith a ghnátha Genitive gnáith gnáth Dative gnáth gnáith

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an gnáth na gnáith Genitive an ghnáith na ngnáth Dative leis an ngnáth don ghnáth leis na gnáith

Derived terms

• de ghnáth
• deasghnáth
• gnách
• gnáth-

 

Etymology 2

Adjective

gnáth (genitive singular masculine gnáth, genitive singular feminine gnáithe, plural gnátha)

1. Alternative form of gnách

Declension

Declension of gnáth

	Singular		Plural (m/f)
Positive	Masculine	Feminine	(strong noun)	(weak noun)
Nominative	gnáth	ghnáth	gnátha; ghnátha²
Vocative	ghnáth		gnátha
Genitive		gnáithe	gnátha	gnáth
Dative	gnáth; ghnáth¹	ghnáth; ghnáth (archaic)	gnátha; ghnátha²
Comparative	níos gnáithe
Superlative	is gnáithe

¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
gnáth	ghnáth	ngnáth
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “gnáth”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Entries containing “gnáth” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.

Old Irish

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *gnātos (“known, usual”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₃-tós, past participle of *ǵneh₃- (“to know”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡnaːθ/

Adjective

gnáth (comparative gnáthiu, superlative gnáithem)

1. customary
2. usual
   • c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 31^b11

     Is gnád radat gói.

     It is usual for them to tell lies.

   • Sechtae, published in Ancient Laws of Ireland: Uraicecht Becc and Certain Other Selected Brehon Law Tracts (1901, Dublin: Stationery Office), edited and with translations by W. Neilson Hancock, Thaddeus O'Mahony, Alexander George Richey, and Robert Atkinson, vol. 5, pp. 117-373, page 238

     A[t]·táit secht ngella la Feine [...] timthach fir is gnáth a ndail,

     There are seven pledges with the Feine [...] [including] the clothes of a man who is frequent at assemblies,

Inflection

o/ā-stem
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	gnáth	gnáth	gnáth
Vocative	gnáith* gnáth**
Accusative	gnáth	gnáith
Genitive	gnáith	gnáithe	gnáith
Dative	gnáth	gnáith	gnáth
Plural	Masculine	Feminine/neuter
Nominative	gnáith	gnátha
Vocative	gnáthu gnátha†
Accusative	gnáthu gnátha†
Genitive	gnáth
Dative	gnáthaib
Notes	*modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative **modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative † not when substantivized

Derived terms

• gnáthach
• gnáthaid
• gnáthaigid
• gnátham
• gnáthe
• gnáthmar
• ingnad

 

Descendants

• Irish: gnáth
• Scottish Gaelic: gnàth

Noun

gnáth m (nominative plural gnáith)

1. (in the plural) intimates, familiar friends

Inflection

Masculine o-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	—	—	gnáithL
Vocative	—	—	gnáthuH
Accusative	—	—	gnáthuH
Genitive	—	—	gnáthN
Dative	—	—	gnáthaib
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Mutation

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
gnáth	gnáth pronounced with /ɣ(ʲ)-/	ngnáth
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.